Lesson 5 - Health basics

Welcome back!

In today’s lesson, you’ll learn how to talk about health in French. This is one of the most important skills for daily life. Whether you’re at the pharmacy, with a doctor, or just explaining how you feel to a friend, you need the right words.

Even if you only know a few phrases, they can make a big difference in how quickly you get help and how comfortable you feel in a new country.

Let’s start with the basics.

1. Key Words for the Body

Repeat after me:

  • la tĂȘte → head

  • le ventre → stomach

  • la gorge → throat

  • le bras / la jambe → arm / leg

  • le pied / les pieds → foot / feet

👉 These are the most common words you’ll need when describing where you feel pain. Practice them a few times until they feel natural.

2. Symptoms and Illness

Now let’s learn some common symptoms and health problems.

Repeat after me:

  • le rhume → cold

  • la douleur → pain

  • la fiĂšvre → fever

  • la toux / tousser → cough / to cough

  • le nez bouchĂ© → blocked nose

  • le nez qui coule → runny nose

  • les courbatures → aches and pains (muscles)

  • la migraine → migraine

  • la faiblesse → weakness

  • la fatigue → tiredness

  • l’anxiĂ©tĂ© → anxiety

  • l’insomnie → insomnia

  • la gastro → gastroenteritis

  • l’intoxication → food poisoning

  • la nausĂ©e → nausea

👉 Don’t worry about remembering every single word at once. Start with the ones that are most relevant to you.

3. Useful Expressions

Now let’s put those words into full sentences.

One of the most important structures is:
J’ai mal à
 → I have pain in


Examples:

  • J’ai mal Ă  la tĂȘte. → I have a headache.

  • J’ai mal au ventre. → I have a stomachache.

👉 Notice: à + le becomes au. That’s why we say au ventre and not à le ventre.

Another useful phrase is:
Je me sens
 → I feel


Examples:

  • Je me sens fatiguĂ©(e). → I feel tired.

  • Je me sens malade. → I feel sick.

Repeat these aloud. They’ll help you describe your condition quickly and clearly.

4. At the Pharmacy

Here are some key phrases to use when you need medicine:

  • Je voudrais quelque chose pour

    → I would like something for


  • Avez-vous
 ?
    → Do you have
?

Examples:

  • Je voudrais quelque chose pour le mal de tĂȘte.
    → I would like something for a headache.

Repeat after me: Je voudrais quelque chose pour


This phrase works for almost anything.

5. At the Doctor - Chez le Docteur

The word "chez" /SHĂ©/ means at someone’s place. You’ll hear it all the time in French.

  • chez moi → at my home

  • chez le coiffeur → at the hairdresser’s

  • chez le boucher → at the butcher’sNow, if you need to see a doctor, here are some essential sentences:

  • Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous avec le mĂ©decin.
    → I would like to make an appointment with the doctor.

  • J’ai mal à
 depuis

    → I have had pain in
 since / for


  • C'est grave ?
    → Is it serious?

👉 Notice how you can add “depuis deux jours” (for two days) to explain how long you’ve had the problem.

6. Mini Dialogue

Let’s listen to a simple dialogue between a patient and a doctor.

— Bonjour, j’ai mal Ă  la gorge et Ă  la tĂȘte.
(Hello, I have a sore throat and a headache.)

— Depuis combien de temps ?
(For how long?)

— Depuis deux jours.
(For two days.) don't say "pour deux jours". "Pour" is only for a future action.

— Je vous conseille de prendre ce sirop et de vous reposer.
(I recommend you take this syrup and get some rest.)

— Merci beaucoup !
(Thank you very much!)

Repeat this dialogue out loud. Then try changing the symptoms. For example: J’ai mal au ventre or Je me sens fatiguĂ©.

7. Practice Tips

Here are three simple ways to practice:

  1. Use J’ai mal à
 with different body parts. For example: J’ai mal à la jambe. J’ai mal au bras.

  2. Practice pharmacy phrases aloud: Je voudrais quelque chose pour


  3. Roleplay with a friend. One plays the patient, the other plays the pharmacist or doctor. Switch roles and practice again.

🎯 What You Can Do Now

After this lesson, you can:

  • Explain simple health problems.

  • Buy basic medicine at a pharmacy.

  • Make a doctor’s appointment and describe symptoms.

This is a huge step forward. You’re now able to handle one of the most stressful but important parts of living abroad.

What’s Next

Congratulations on completing this lesson! You can now talk about your health in French.

In the next module, we’ll move deeper into communication skills. You’ll discover the 20 key phrases you need for social survival in French. These will help you feel at home in conversations right away. But before, you'll study part 4 and part 5, and then... the appetizer quizz!

Keep practicing, and remember: every small step builds your confidence.

Bon courage !